Secret Passions
by AniLuLu
Summary: CHAPTER 18 UP!:: Stacy is stuck in a loveless relationship, so what happens when a secret admirer comes into the picture? What will Stacy choose to do? And what will her boyfriend do about it?
1. Default Chapter

**Author's Note:** Hey everybody! Well, this is the first fan fic I've written... I was inspired by Liz (LittleKnux2008), she's such a great author. I'm gonna give this a shot, so let me know what you think. I was hoping to hit 600 words with this first chapter, but I came close enough (575). Please read and review!

**Rating:** PG-13 (Just to be safe!)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything, except the idea of the story. All the characters are © of the WWE.

**Distribution:** Nowhere, it is the first chapter, after all! If you'd like to use it, you don't need permission, just do me the favor of letting me know you're using it and give me a link and credit, of course.

**Chapter 1**

The door slowly creeped open as the blonde pulled the key out of the lock. The young woman walked into the hotel room, only to find roses lying on the bed and all over the floor; a warm bubble bath had been prepared for her, with flowers in every direction and soft, luscious rose petals floated calmly in the foam-covered water. Stacy Keibler gasped at the sight of the beauty in the candlelit room before her as her hand flew to her gaping mouth.

Tears suddenly flooded her eyes and blurred her vision as she thought of the one thing that would ruin this whole moment.

Her boyfriend.

Oh, the things he would do if he found out about this. She hurriedly picked up the astonishing flowers and reluctantly threw them outside the 10 story window. The only trace of what had been was the bath. The petal-filled water beckoned to her, and as she stripped out of her clothes, she figured it wouldn't hurt to pamper herself just this once.

Just as Stacy had begun to relax in the wonderfully aromatic bath, she heard the bolt on the front door unlock. The tall blonde held her breath and slowly closed her eyes. "There's not a trace left of what was out there... I know there isn't!" she prayed silently.

The booming voice of her beloved boyfriend startled her.

"Stacy!" he screamed.

"In here," Stacy barely answered.

"What's this?" Scott Steiner marched in and questioned, motioning to the envelope he held in his right hand. It had Stacy's name clearly written on the front.

The startled blonde blinked and focused on the object in Scott's hand. How could she have missed THAT? "Where was it, honey?" she inquired innocently.

"On the nightstand on your side of the bed. Just answer me, Stacy. What the hell is this?"

She didn't know what to say... didn't know what to think. Stacy stared at the envelope as the seconds ticked by. Finally, she sweetly replied, "Oh, um, it's just an invitation to a surprise birthday party. Nothin' to worry about, baby."

Scott studied his girlfriend for a few moments, and then looked at the sealed envelope in his hand.

"It looks like a man's handwriting." Anger flashed in his eyes for a brief moment, and just at the sight of it, every muscle in Stacy's body tensed.

"Y – Yeah... um, her boyfriend wrote the invitations. He left it at the front desk for me to pick up. It was Lita that called me to tell me about it before I had even opened it." It was obvious Stacy was becoming more and more nervous as her boyfriend interrogated her.

As Scott left the bathroom, the young blonde contemplated the many thoughts running through her head. Why was it that she had to lie to a man she loved? Well, a man she thought she loved. He'd changed a lot over time; he's not the sweet and caring guy he used to be. And Stacy had learned to stay away from him when he was irritated or drunk, unfortunately, the hard way. A sigh escaped her lips as she wondered why she was still with him. She knew he was cheating on her with some brunette chick, and, surprisingly, didn't even really care. Abruptly, her mind shifted gears and completely different questions appeared in her thoughts.

Who had been in her hotel room?

What did that letter really say?


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:** Well, here it is the second chapter! I got 6 reviews on the first one, but that was definitely w/ the help of my friends. Lol, love ya guys! And well, here's the second chapter, which I hope turns out okay. I really have no idea where I'm going with this story, but if you have any suggestions, I would totally love to hear them!! Sorry that it's kind of a short chapter, but I'm kinda stuck as far as what to write goes. Thanks a ton, and now to the story!

**Chapter 2**

Stacy carefully stepped out of the bath, attempting not to slip. _A secret admirer..._, she thought to herself. _...No, it can't be. Who'd be foolish enough to mess with Scott?_ She toyed with the thought that someone really liked her, and then decided some idiot was trying to play a prank on her. _Ugh, how pathetic. They don't really expect me to believe that, do they?_ However, the thought of the note Scott left on their bed before he went out suddenly jumped out at her. The blonde immediately put on her bathrobe, and ran out to the room.

She stood there in silence, for a moment, just staring at it. It was almost as if the letter was poisonous, for at first, she didn't dare touch it. Water droplets slowly trickled down her long legs as she progressed forward a couple steps. Stacy leaned over the footboard of the king-size bed and brushed the envelope with the tips of her fingers. Her name was so neatly written on the front, but you could definitely tell it was a guy's handwriting.

"Maybe this _is_ for real...," Stacy muttered to herself as she reached for the white object lying on her navy silk covers.

The envelope almost lifted itself off the bed as Stacy's gentle hands slid under it, touching the smooth silky texture of the lovely bed sheets, and picked it up. The feather-light paper enclosed a secret, one meant to be known.

The leggy blonde gazed at the precious item in her tender hands.

"It's a good thing Scott's not here," she said softly to herself. At that thought, she dropped it. The envelope glided back down onto the bed and slid slightly on the silk. Stacy ran around the room in panic checking every cupboard and every drawer. There was a mess of plates and cups all around now, but she didn't care. It was a hotel room, after all, and they might not have any in there, nevertheless, she had to check.

Once she was done, the room was trashed. Completely and utterly trashed. A half hour had hardly passed, but Stacy was out of totally out of breath. The young woman let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank you, God. Not a single knife in sight," she breathed. The thought of the shiny, sharp metal that had struck her many times before made her shudder with fear. She knew very well it'd happen again, if Scott found out whatever it was that note really said.

The note! Stacy hadn't even read it yet, and was already thinking about the consequences. _Honestly, how stupid am I?_ she thought.

Stacy walked back over to the left side of the bed, and slowly sat down, not taking her eyes off the letter. She had so many ideas in her mind of what it might say, but who was to say it wasn't just a joke someone wanted to play on her? She gradually lifted it open, and pulled out a small piece of paper that read:

_Stace,_

_I hope you liked the flowers I left for you. Each petal on every rose is for every moment that I've thought about you. I'm going to the club around the corner tonight if you want to meet up. _

_Love Always_

A smile danced on Stacy's lips, without her even knowing it.

"Guess I'm going to the club tonight!" she screamed joyfully and began to dig through her clothes to find the perfect outfit. After all, she had to look cute.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** Okay, so, so, so sorry that it took so long for me to get this up! Well, I kinda had writer's block and it wouldn't go away! All righty, anyhow! So many thanks to all of you guys who reviewed! I love you!! Yeah, you're all probably freaked out now. Well, I also wanted to thank my friend Cody, who gave me some very constructive criticism, and of course Liz who's been there for me all the way! I hope you guys like this chapter, and **please review**! Okay, I'm gonna stop ranting now and get to the chapter!

**Distribution:** Okay, I lied. I'm not done yet. Liz (LittleKnux2008) posted my story on her website! Thank you, thank you, thank you! ( I think that got the point across.) Also, I made some banners that I posted online if you'd like to use, if not just check em out! Thanks! Ok, now I'm done, I promise!

Lizzy's site:   
The Banners: 

**Chapter 3**

Stacy's convertible corvette zoomed down the road as she blasted the music on her radio. Her golden blonde hair flew in the wind and reflected all the magnificent city lights with it's shine. Excitement gripped at her as she giggled to herself and thought, "I can't believe it! I finally get to meet him!"

Then it hit her. The smile that was there an instant ago disappeared, and confusion settled on her beautiful face.

Stacy hadn't the slightest clue who she was looking for. Or for that matter, who was looking for her.

"Damn," she murmured under her breath.

She slammed her heel onto the brakes and the car slowly came to a stop as the light in front of her turned to a glowing red. Hearing loud music coming from the building to her right, Stacy figured that had to be the place.

"I guess common sense comes in handy every once in a while," she said to herself with a slight smirk as she parked the car in the open spot nearest to the entrance. The blonde stepped out of the car and attempted to pull her skirt down a little, but wasn't too successful.

"Oh, whatever," she threw her hands up with forfeit.

She strutted down the pathway to the bar in her five inch pink heels, which perfectly matched with her soft pink, glittery butterfly top that exposed her slim stomach and showed a bit of cleavage. Her short black skirt clung tightly to her hips then flared out slightly with a few pleats towards the bottom. Her black purse, which she carried in her right hand, had her initial written on it in pink, of course.

Stacy gazed with comical amazement at the sign that hovered over the doorway, in front of which she was standing. "The Club," she read aloud, and then giggled. "You have _got_ to be kidding me. Well, ya definitely gotta give 'em points for originality!" She took two steps forward and pressed her hand against the clear glass door.

As the door swung open, a gust of cigarette smoke came rushing at Stacy's face, making her choke.

"Ugh, how disgusting," Stacy whispered as she straightened her shoulders and walked towards the bar. She sat down on a tall, black stool and spun around to face the bartender, who was drying a shot glass at the time.

"What can I get you, darlin'?" he said as his eyes wandered over her exposed figure.

"Um, I'm waiting to meet someone here, but while I'm waiting," the young blonde paused for a mere second, "I think I'll just have a margarita."

"Comin' right up," replied the blonde male with a modest smile decorating his handsome features.

When Stacy got her drink, she had a few sips of it, no more than a taste. So many thoughts kept rushing through her mind about this mysterious stranger, when someone tapped her on the shoulder, making her whirl around in her chair, nearly spilling her margarita. The bright multi-colored lights almost blinded her, and she suddenly noticed the loud music blaring through the giant speakers on the opposite end of the building. Stacy shaded her eyes, in attempt to protect them from the light, only to see her girlfriend and fellow diva standing beside her.

"Hey! What's up?" Lita screamed over the deafening music.

"Oh, hey Li! You scared the hell out of me a second ago, sweetie," Stacy smiled as she pulled Lita down onto the chair next to her own. "I didn't expect to see you here," she began, "but, um, I was wondering if..." the blonde said as she squinted her eyes and glanced around the dance floor.

"If what, Stace?" Lita glanced at her friend for a split second and asked, "Hey, is everything okay? Where's Scott?"

"Well, I don't know and don't care where Scott is right now. He's not here, that's for sure. And, now that you mention it, yeah, something is kinda bothering me," was the blonde's response.

Lita placed a comforting hand on Stacy's shoulder and soothingly asked, "What's wrong, honey?"

Stacy shifted slightly in her seat and looked directly into her friend's eyes. Lita returned her gaze, and cocked her head intently to her left, somewhat sympathetically, expecting dreadful news.

"Um... There's this guy," Stacy began, her energy building, "and he's, like, been leaving me flowers, notes, cards, and all kinds of stuff. But oh my God Lita, when I walked into my room yesterday afternoon, and, like, everything was covered in rose petals and roses, and there was a bubble bath set up for me with candles and everything!" For a single moment, Stacy was back in her hotel room, surrounded by the intimate vanilla scents and flowers. And for that short time, she had truly felt...

...Loved and wanted.

The redhead's joyful screams snapped Stacy out of her trance. The excitement had been evident in Stacy's voice and her shining eyes when she had been speaking about her secret admirer, and Lita all but fell out of her chair with enthusiasm. She was in front of the blonde jumping up and down like a teenage schoolgirl. "Oh my God, oh my God! Stace! Girl that is so pimp! You should totally hook up with this guy!" Lita squealed, but then paused for a split second and questioned confusedly, "Wait a minute, who are we talking about here?"

Stacy's response was a mere shrug. She didn't know any more about this stranger than Lita had been told. "I don't know who it is, but his note said he'd be here tonight," the young blonde startled Lita when she began to laugh and giggle. "Hold up. Did you just say 'pimp'? Exactly how many drinks did you have before I got here?"

Both of the girls laughed, until the leggy blonde saw the goofy look on her girlfriend's face. Lita smiled naughtily and leaned over Stacy's shoulder and whispered in a sing-song tone, "I think someone's got a secret admirer!"

Lita picked up Stacy's margarita off the counter and took a drink, but as she brought the glass down from her lips, she froze in place and her eyes widened. Stacy watched her best friend with bewilderment and was about to spin around in her chair to see what Lita had been looking at, but Lita's hand flew to her shoulder and pushed her back.

A wide grin slowly spread across the redhead's face as she stared at the confused blonde and answered the question expressed by Stacy's eyes.

"There's a hot guy back there, and he's looking right at you!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Again, sorry for the long time it took between updates, that the chappy's kinda short, and thanks a ton for your patience. It feels as if I'm saying that every time I update! Well, school's been a pain (of course) and so it takes up a lot of my time… Then again, I kinda sorta maybe didn't quite know where I was going with this, but now I have a better idea. Which is good right? If you have any ideas what so ever, please feel free to inform me! I know some of you guys are dying to know who the secret admirer is and I'm not sure yet which chapter to put that in ). Sorry, yes I'm evil I know, but that just makes it more invigorating, right? Anyway, my note here's gonna end up longer than the chapter in a minute, so on with it!

**Chapter 4**

Stacy could have sworn she felt her body begin to shake with excitement. Was Lita being serious? Stacy took her friends arm, and caught her gaze for a moment.

"Li, are you messing with me?" Stacy inquired, with the idea of a certain response in mind.

"No! I swear, I wouldn't lie to you! And okay, we know him. And okay, yeah, I know you think he's an arrogant asshole and whatever, but maybe you should give it a chance."

_'Arrogant asshole?'_ Stacy said to herself. '_Who in the world do I know that's arrogant, besides Scott?'_ The blonde contemplated the question for a little bit then looked at her girlfriend with a glint of hope in her eye.

"Can I look? I wanna see who this guy is, Li. You're starting to drive me nuts!" Stacy laughed as the bartender appeared in front of her from what seemed like nowhere. The young man slid a tall, slender cup down the counter in front of Stacy, who currently had a slightly confused look on her face.

"I didn't order this," she mumbled as she looked down at the long island iced tea in front of her. There was tiny water droplets already condensing on the outside of the glass, the top of which was garnished with a neatly cut lemon wedge.

"It's for you, miss, from the gentleman at the back table," the bartender told her and in his hands, he held a small piece of paper which Stacy gracefully accepted and took into her own right hand. Stacy held the small paper at the top corners, so both Lita and she could read what it said.

_Stacy,_

_When you're done with your drink, meet me in the middle of the dance floor. I'll be waiting._

Stacy's jaw all but dropped to the floor. This guy was for real; he knew she was here. But wait, how was it possible that she could have ever thought this guy was arrogant? For the first time she noticed Lita's gleaming face. Her girlfriend was literally grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh my god, Stace! This is so great! You're gonna meet him, but oh boy, you will love this," Lita's grin turned to an evil look. "I know something you don't know!" She giggled.

"Ugh! You're so mean!" Stacy pretended to pout, but couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out in laughter. She raised her glass and sipped from her drink.Her mind was racing. _'Okay, so Li knows who this guy is, but I don't. How do I get it out of her?'_

"Hey Li, you want a drink?" There was a slightly evil sparkle in Stacy's eye as she grinned. Lita knew exactly what she was up to.

"Uh uh. Not a chance. I gotta get home as it is anyhow," she replied as she grabbed her purse and tipped the bartender. "Love ya girl, and the best of luck!" she whispered on her way out the door.

"Love you, too," Stacy murmured in a somewhat sarcastic tone. She swung her lengthy legs around, spinning in her chair. The blonde stood up to her full height, adjusted her skirt, and glanced over to the dance floor. She took in the sight of all the Technicolor lights and sparkly decorations. As her eyes accustomed to the bright light, Stacy gasped at the sight her eyes beheld. The blue eyes fixed in her direction held her curious gaze.

* * *

There she was.

Stacy Keibler.

'_Oh, she's like a goddess,'_ was the simple thought that ran through the young man's mind as he studied the woman of his dreams. He watched how her sexy blonde hair framed her face and fell gracefully on her shoulders. She certainly seemed happier than he'd ever seen her before, not to mention, her smile was gorgeous. Even the outfit she'd chosen for tonight was completely stunning and showed off her perfectly fit body.

'_What the hell am I doing? I don't deserve someone like her,'_ he pondered. The tall handsome man snapped out of his trance when he noticed Stacy turning around in her chair and the inevitable happened. Their eyes locked.

She knew.

Slowly, and rather reluctantly, Stacy walked to the giant crowd of people surrounding the dance floor. Making her way through all the people, but not paying attention to where she was going, Stacy's shoulder slightly brushed past his.

"Oh, I'm so--," she cut herself off as they looked at one another once again, and he figured it was now or never. The young man looked passionately into her eyes, gently tilted her head, and kissed her allowing all his feelings to flow into that one kiss.

**Another A/N**: Well, there it is! Thanks to LadyRaye, bubbly gal, Icy Rabbit, johncenagirl, AlisonJ, KeeKeeBaby, LittleKnux2008, cerebralgoddess18, huntersgirl, and The Zazu. If I forgot anyone, my deepest apologies, you know I love you tons for reviewing! I'm sure you all are hating me for not telling you who the secret admirer is, but I told you! I'm evil! -XoxoX-


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** YES! It's up on time, oh who's good? Who's good?Okay, so this chapteris like mostly a song-fic. I haven't written one of these before; I've only read them… so tell me what you think! I'm open to advice and suggestions, so thanks for reading! Lol, okay, I'll shut up… Thanks so very much to those who reviewed! I love you!

**Disclaimer:** Okay, I used Ashlee Simpson's "Shadow" lyrics in here (the writing in **bold**), so those lyrics belong to her, her company, whatever… just not to me!

**Chapter 5**

As their lips parted, Stacy's eyes slowly fluttered open. Her body was just beginning to take in what had just happened as shock and surprise swept over her. Stacy's beautiful chocolate colored eyes traveled up to the icy blue ones looking down at her, bursting with love and passion. Yet, there seemed to be traces of apology, regret, and confusion.

With his hand slowly caressing her shoulder, he directed his sight to the floor as he managed to stutter, "I'm sorry, I -- I didn't mean –"

"Hey," Stacy slid her hand under his chin and gently lifted his head, so he'd look at her again, "Randy, it's okay, really. To be honest, I enjoyed it." A slight blush formed on her cheeks as she flashed her beautiful smile, in a somewhat shy manner. She stared at him for a moment. Stacy found it unbelievable – Randy Orton. There was just something about him in the way he looked at her that made her feel like she never had before, something that made him different than… Scott.

"Let's go sit down, it's kind of crowded here," Stacy said, peering around for an empty table. Just at that moment, her new favorite song blasted through the speakers. It was somewhat odd that they'd play it in a club, but maybe the song had been requested. She froze in her spot, letting the music flow through her as she listened intently to the words. Then Stacy felt a hand reach for her own and pull her deeper into the crowd of people pairing off.

"Before we get a table, would you dance with me?" A pleading look filled Randy's eyes as he prayed she'd answer with a 'yes'. Almost as if his prayer was answered, Stacy's face lit up instantly as she rested her arms on his shoulders. Her body met his as Randy's hands fit perfectly around her waist, as if they were built to be placed there. So many thoughts engulfed their minds as they gazed lovingly at one another.

**I was stuck inside a broken life**

**I couldn't wish away**

'_Isn't this only supposed to happen in fairy tales?'_ wondered Stacy. She was pondering how Scott had treated her all this time, the way she simply put up with it now seemed to annoy her. Why didn't she just leave?

**She was beautiful**

**She had everything and more**

Randy wrapped his arms tighter around Stacy's slim figure. She was a gorgeous woman; he couldn't believe how lucky he was to have her be so sweet with him, since she didn't know who he was until now. Sure, he'd heard the stories around the RAW locker rooms about Scott and Stacy, yet he hadn't believed them until he saw the faraway look in her eyes, the same stunning eyes that were full of pain and fear.

**And my escape was hiding out and running for the door**

**Somebody listen please**

**It used to be so hard being me**

Stacy hadn't felt so safe and protected in an awfully long time. It was obvious she needed to get away from Scott, and she knew it, but he'd come after her. With Lita's help, Stacy came to the realization that she couldn't run from him. She smiled at the thought of her girlfriend, because she'd been the only one there for Stacy through her agony and suffering, willing to listen.

**Living in the shadow**

**Of someone else's dream**

'_Wow,'_ was the one thing going through Randy's head, _'how in the world did she manage to put up with him that long?' _He found it amazing how all she'd had to go through made him respect and love her so much more.

**Trying to find a hand to hold but every touch felt cold to me**

**Living in a nightmare**

**A never-ending sleep**

It had been a hard, hopeless search for someone to help her. Stacy had been on her own ever since she began dating Scott. But here was someone who cared for her that might be able to help. Maybe Randy was her knight in shining armor.

**All the days collided**

**One less perfect than the next**

**I was stuck inside someone else's life and always second best**

Stacy could remember it like it was yesterday. When they first started dating, everything had been new and exciting for her, until she found out about Scott's drinking. The whole thing had basically gone downhill from there. He abused her, hit her, and cut her; yet she stayed. Stacy hoped to revive the love they'd had at first, but nothing worked. She wasn't important to him anymore, she'd become just a trophy, a piece of his property. Stacy tried hard to fight back the sobs that were building up and the tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

**So if you're listening**

**There's so much more to me you haven't seen**

Randy felt Stacy's body shake with soft sobs, embracing her in his strong arms. There was a whole story behind this he didn't know, but what he was very well aware of was the fact that he was going to beat the living hell out of Scott. Randy wanted to be there for her now even more than the first time he'd laid eyes on her.

**Living in the shadow**

**Of someone else's dream**

**Trying to find a hand to hold but every touch felt cold to me**

**Living in a nightmare**

**A never-ending sleep**

Stacy buried her face in Randy's chest, understanding how important it was to get away from all this, to get away from Scott. He had single-handedly ruined her life and bruised her heart, but maybe Randy could fix it, just maybe everything would be okay for once.

The song came to a close and the people began to clear off the dance floor, some grabbing something to drink, others just leaving. As Stacy looked up, a jolt of distress ran through her. Randy noticed the fright overtaking her and followed her line of vision to the doorway, where a tall, muscular man stood.

Scott.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** Hey guys, I'm back! And yes, I'm very sorry that I haven't updated. I've had a crazy and emotional week which, however, is no excuse. I hope you like this chapter because I've been looking forward to writing it. All of you that reviewed… I just can't thank you enough!

-Happy Holidays!-

Ani

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**Chapter 6**

The icy glare coming from Scott's eyes made Stacy's body shake with fear. She glanced up at Randy, as if saying goodbye, and slowly made her way over to her boyfriend. Scott grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her out to the car…

… A silent tension was apparent in the air as the elevator climbed up 10 floors in the luxury hotel Scott and Stacy were staying at. Once the doors slid open, Scott stomped out into the carpeted hallway. Realizing there wasn't anyone next to him he spun around, marched through the nearly closed elevator doors and dragged a screaming and frightened Stacy out.

"Scott! Let me go!" Stacy yelled as they went inside their room. Her body froze when he responded by whirling around and tightly holding onto her waist.

"Is this what you want, Stacy? Huh?! To dance?!" He shouted, nearly in her ear. Stacy could feel her insides tensing and shrinking as his grip intensified. All she could do was look at him, panic apparent in her facial features.

'_I need to get out… now,'_ was the only thought going through the young woman's mind. She couldn't shake the feeling that something awful was about to happen.

Suddenly, Scott let her go, walked to the door and just stood there for a minute. Stacy was confused by this until she saw his arms reach up to the locks, blocking her only way out. The window had automatically been eliminated since after what happened at the bar, Stacy decided she wanted to get away from Scott and stay alive.

However, that suddenly seemed impossible to achieve.

Stacy's heart was at the brink of exploding in her chest as she moved backwards toward the bed. But Scott only moved closer, appearing more and more furious every second. The only thing Stacy could do was move up against the wall, not the smartest thing because she was cornered, but it was her only source of protection. The vase full of flowers set on a table at the entrance flew across the room, hitting the wall inches away from Stacy's face and shattering to pieces, leaving small cuts on her right arm. She shut her eyes tightly and pursed her lips to keep from screaming out -more from terror than pain.

"What, Stacy?! What?! You think you're too good for me?!" yelled Scott across the room. Walking towards her, he dug into his pocket, determinedly searching for something. An evil smile spread across his face as he pulled out a small, but nonetheless sharp, pocketknife. Scott glared at Stacy with that stupid grin still plastered on his face.

"Scott, please don't do this, please," Stacy begged. She pressed her back against the wall as her eyes unmistakably showed the fear spreading through her. "Look, it was just a dance, I swear nothing else happened!" Her voice was shaky when she spoke again, "Scott…," she paused and locked eyes with him, "please."

Scott's expression changed within seconds. For a brief moment he seemed to understand, seemed to show an inkling of human emotion.

Maybe it was just Stacy's imagination showing her what she wanted to see, because not an instant later, her boyfriend was inches away from her face, reaching for her neck.

"Scott! What are you doing?" she asked, with a calm and unsteady voice.

"What I should have done a long time ago," he replied.

Stacy stared at him, terrorized. _'How the hell am I going to get out of this? Oh my God, I'm going to die!'_ she thought. Even her mind couldn't be optimistic about the situation. She sent a shrill scream throughout the room, but was hushed as Scott brought the side of the sharp knife to her lips and moved it towards the floor, creating a small cut which immediately began to bleed. His hand around her throat caused her to choke. Stacy attempted to claw at his fingers or at least loosen up his clutch on her windpipe but it was no use… then out of nowhere, he let go.

Scott kept eye contact with his petrified girlfriend, a furious fire blazing in his eyes. He could just imagine it – killing her. Her screams for help would be useless, who in the hell would care enough to save her? A pleasurable, wicked feeling traveled through him as he imagined himself leaning over Stacy's dead body, her gorgeous blonde hair sprawled out on the floor, puddles of blood surrounding her fragile limbs.

The young woman glared back at him, noticing the faraway look on his face. Maybe she had a chance; maybe he'd love and care for her again. Then she saw that awful grin dancing on his lips again.

Maybe not.

Stacy's attention was quickly directed to the front of the room; a pounding of fists sounded upon the door. The moment Scott snapped back to reality and realized someone was here, he tightened his hands into fists, the veins on his arms showing through his tanned skin.

'_No! It's not worth having someone else go through this too!'_ Stacy reasoned. She ran up behind Scott, grabbing onto his shoulder only to get smacked across the face with incredible power. She dropped to the floor and hit the back of her head on the corner of the wooden table behind her.

'_Who was at the door?' _was her last thought as pain overtook her for an agony-filled minute before she thankfully slipped into unconsciousness.

**

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Author's Note: **

Thanks to all the following that reviewed: HopelessRomantic225, Ebony Black Outsider, Jonnai920, A, LadyRaye, stacy k. orton, danneell14, Icy Rabbit, RKOandLEGS, AASC, johncenagirl, Emma, LittleKnux2008, lilpimpgonk2010, and KeeKeeBaby. OMG you guys! 15 reviews! You really have no idea how much this means to me… I LOVE YOU!! Oh, and yeah, I hope you liked this chapter! )

P.S. - Thank you for the sentence, Lizzy!


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note:** Okay, I understand the last chapter was a little graphic and violent, I have never written anything like that before, I feel like I pulled it off though. I'm sorry if it disturbed anyone, but I think it turned out as a good way to express Stacy's emotions as well as Scott's intents. Despite all that, I do hope you liked it and that you thought it fit in well with the story. Thanks for reading! Oh, and btw, I added a few new banners up at the site in my profile… so check em out and let me know what ya think! Thanks to Liz for contributing!

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**Chapter 7**

Randy watched with surprise as Stacy allowed herself to be dragged out of the bar by her boyfriend. She hadn't said a word since Scott had walked in, and as he hauled her out, Randy took the look on her face as a cry for help.

All Randy knew was that he'd do anything for that woman, even though it seemed as if he hardly knew her. She was absolutely gorgeous on the inside and out, but she was hiding herself; hiding behind fear and terror. Randy had never felt more determined in his life as he did now. He was going to stop Scott, whether Scott liked it or not, he just couldn't bear to see Stacy hurt.

The young man walked briskly to the booth he'd been sitting at, grabbed his black leather jacket and sped out the door. Making his way across the parking lot, he searched in hispocket for his car keys…

…After asking the hotel clerk at the entrance of the hotel about the location of the room, Randy instantly ran in the direction of the elevator. As it climbed up ten whole floors, time seemed to move in slow motion. The young wrestler fidgeted with his hands, becoming very impatient.

'_Every moment wasted in this damn elevator just means Stacy could be hurt worse…'_ he thought.

"Ding…Ding…Ding…" rang the bell in the elevator as it finally reached its destination. In a hurry to get out, Randy pushed the doors open and momentarily paused in the hallway, searching for the room number. Once he found it he nearly threw himself at the door, releasing his fury on it as if it were the victim. His fists slammed onto the oak wood, the hammering thuds echoing through the halls.

* * *

Scott walked to the door with the knife gripped tightly in his hand, not noticing or caring about his collapsed girlfriend on the floor. He cautiously turned the knob before realizing the door was still locked. After unlatching the locks and slipping the chains out from their designated spots, Scott opened the door, a mask of surprise covering his face.

"What the hell do you want, Orton?" Scott inquired, sounding annoyed.

Randy, spotting the knife Scott grasped securely in his right hand, screamed, "What did you do to her? Where is Stacy?"

"Oh, you're here to save the love of your life? Get real. News flash – she's got a boyfriend, so back off," replied Scott, adding a little shove to Randy's chest at the end of his comment for emphasis. Randy responded by shoving Scott with extreme force, causing him to hit his head powerfully on the floor and knocking him down flat on his back.

"I'm not here to start a fight," retaliated Randy. Taking advantage of Scott's few minutes of temporary unconsciousness, Randy stepped over his fallen body, walking towards Stacy. There were shards of glass, tiny pieces that shined and sparkled in the lightfrom the window, all over the floor. Hovering over her for a moment, Randy fell to his knees and leaned down at Stacy's side. His eyes were brimming with tears as his heart shattered into a million pieces. It killed him inside to see the woman he loves seem lifeless beside him.

Unexpectedly, he noticed a slight flash of movement on the blonde's gorgeous facial features. Stacy's eyes fluttered, and opened little by little. She let them wander around the room for a minute, to get a feel for her surroundings. As she looked to her left,Stacy caught sight of Randy leaning down beside her aching figure.

"What are you doing here?" the light whisper escaped from her lips. She gazed at him, wonder noticeable in her stunning eyes; a slight smile of happiness brightening her confused expression.

"Shh, don't worry about that now," Randy replied soothingly, gently pressing a finger to her parted lips.

"Randy, I'm scared," she managed to utter before slowly beginning to slip into unconsciousness once again.

"I know, baby, I'm sorry about all this," he said in a soft voice as he ran his hand through her soft, blonde hair and laid a tender kiss on her forehead. Randy gently scooped her up into his arms, his left arm supporting her head and shoulders while his right was under her bent knees.

Careful not to step on Scott, Randy managed to make it out of the trashed hotel room unharmed, with Stacy safely in his arms. Once the elevator reached the tenth floor, the doors slithered open, revealing an empty elevator. Randy stepped inside and situated himself in the center of the rather colorless rectangular space as he gazed at Stacy longingly.

'_I hope this shows her how much I care about her…'_ he thought, _'and if Scott ever thinks about approaching her again, he's got another thing coming.'_ Anger welled up in the pit of his stomach just thinking about the heartless man - if you'd even really call him that. _'Honestly, how the hell did she ever get with that idiot? He must have nofeelings whatsoever…'_

Randy looked at Stacy's slim body cuddled up in his arms. She just seemed so sweet and innocent, like she'd never done anything to deserve what she'd gotten. He lifted her up slightly and pressed a soft kiss on her lips, getting a slight taste of blood in his mouth. To his surprise, he noted the cut on her lips for the first time. While the slight cuts on her arm, which he assumed were from the glass, were rather obvious, the one on her lips hadn't been quite as apparent. Worry overtook him as he wondered what exactly had gone on in that room, but only Stacy knew the answers to that.

'_Right this second, my only worry should be getting her to the hospital fast enough,'_ he lectured himself.

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**A/N:** Thanks tons for your patience, and thanks millions to my loyal reviewers!! I love you guys! If you didn't already read it in my profile, I just wanted to mention that I probably won't be updating for a good week at least because of midterms and then a birthday party. I'll start writing the next chapter as soon as I can and do bits and pieces to get it done crosses fingers hopefully! 


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note:** I'm back with another chapter! Yay! I hope you enjoy it. The poem is © of yours truly! Lol, yes it's an original piece, and you'll understand what it has to do w/ the story once you read. Thank you Andy for your help w/ parts of this! Please review!

**

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**

**Chapter 8**

"_Run, Stacy, run!" Lita's voice rang through her head. "Get away from him!"_

_Stacy struggled for breath as her energy drained from her body. Looking over her shoulder, she shot a terrified glance at Scott, who was chasing her with a knife. Stacy felt as if she was running down an endless road, but she kept going. A bright light blinded her as she peered into it, while scurrying away from Scott as fast as she could. But to her dismay, as she sped towards the light, it seemed to move farther away. In the center of the golden glow appeared Randy's gorgeous built figure._

"_Randy, help me! Please!" she tried to scream at the top of her lungs, but nothing came out. Not a single syllable. Then the unthinkable happened. Her body fell to the ground as Stacy's slim, tired legs finally gave out on her. Scott had caught up to her, and loomed over her fallen form._

"Stacy," Randy whispered, brushing some hair from her face. His fingers sensed the cold sweat on her face.

_The young woman heard Randy's voice, but couldn't see him. What was going on?_

"_Get back, Scott! I don't love you anymore, it's over! Let Randy and me be happy!" she screamed at her ex-boyfriend that was still looking down on her. She was furious at his actions and felt confident with what she said because Randy was there to back her up. But wait… Where is he now? Scott was getting closer as the seconds ticked by._

"No!" Stacy shrieked as she awoke with a jolt from the unconscious torment. Sitting up in her bed, her breathing heavy, she allowed her fear to show on her face. Randy looked at her with concern as she detected his presence beside her.

"Stacy, it's okay. Honey, what happened?" he inquired, worry in his voice. Stacy looked at him, ready to burst with shock. Her shoulders shook with every sob that escaped from her throat as silent tears ran down her cheeks. Randy gently wiped the tears from her face then embraced her quivering figure. She placed her arms tightly around his shoulders and held onto him tightly.

"Don't let him hurt me, Randy," Stacy cried, "please…" she whimpered.

"I won't, Stace. He'll get what's coming to him, I promise," he replied back to her and slowly let go of her and sat back in his chair.

Stacy laid back against her pillows, realizing for the first time where she was. She looked around her, in a bland room with white walls and white tables. Even her bed sheets were colorless. There was an IV, releasing drops of medicine into her blood stream, attached to her right wrist.The whole placeeven had that hospital smell to it – obviously. Her mind traveled back to the previous event that had occurred, the one that got her here in the first place. She could see it replaying over and over again, but it was almost as if she were looking in on the incident through the window and seeing it from an outsider's view. Looking back on it, Scott had seemed so merciless, so cruel.

Randy watched Stacy longingly, detecting the secluded look in her eyes. He knew what occupied her thoughts, it just seemed slightly obvious.

"The doctors said Scott had a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit," he figured she ought to know. Her eyes snapped to him as she clutched at her bed sheets.

"Scott is…" she trailed off, then after a second, finished her thought, "here?"

"I realize that's probably not what you wanted to hear, but I couldn't just leave him in the hotel unconscious, Stace," Randy replied, aware of her dread towards what he told her.

Stacy allowed a sigh to escape between her lips. "Oh, you're right, Randy. I'm sorry, I just –"

"Honey, don't worry about it, I can understand why that would worry you," he answered affectionately. Randy took Stacy's hand in his own and held on tightly. "Stacy, I really care about you, and I hate having to see you go through all this."

"You're the only one that's ever actually done anything about it," she muttered. "I mean Lita would have killed Scott with her bare hands if she could have, but...Well, you know what I mean. I really appreciate this, Randy. You have no idea how much it really means to me."

"I'd do anything for you, Stacy. Seriously," he smiled.

"I love your smile," Stacy whispered with a slight blush. Her eyes locked with his as she flashed a flirty smile of her own. The diva noted the dark circles under Randy's eyes for the first time.

"Oh, my gosh. Randy, what time is it? How long have you been here?" the young blonde inquired in somewhat of a panicky tone.

"Stacy, calm down. It's about 10 in the morning. After you passed out last night at the hotel, I brought you here and you've been asleep since then," Randy replied serenely.

"You stayed here all this time with me? Randy, you know you didn't have to do that," Stacy protested.

"Yes, I stayed, but because I wanted to; I was worried about you," the handsome wrestler reassured her. "Sweetie, you're not a burden to me, you're a gift. I feel blessed to have been able to be there for you."

Stacy stared at Randy lovingly. "I can't believe you'd do that for me. I mean – I –" she stuttered, "I guess I'm just trying to say thank you. But Randy, you should go home for a little bit and get some sleep, though. You seem tired and I don't want to hold you up here. Please," Stacy pleaded, not only with her words, but with her eyes as well.

"All right," Randy forfeited. He stood up from his chair and leaned down to press a gentle kiss onto Stacy's forehead. "I'll see you later," he said as he reluctantly let go of Stacy's hand and walked out of the room. The blonde watched him leave, and once he was gone, she reached for her purse on the bedside table. She figured Randy had brought it for her sometime during the night as she reached inside and pulled out a small journal with agorgeous crimson rose on the cover. She flipped through the pages until she reached the entry she'd been searching for. Stacy remembered writing this poem one night following one of the numerous fights with Scott.

_-All I Have Left-_

_Look in my eyes  
__And tell me what you see.  
__Is there happiness?  
__Do they portray joy?_

_I take a look in the mirror  
__And all it shows me  
__Is sadness and sorrow;  
__I can only hope to see tomorrow._

_I've given all I had to give,  
__And as I walk this lonely road,  
__Beside me stands  
T__he shadow of my empty soul._

Stacy read the poem three times over before smiling to herself as she tore the page out and ripped it to pieces. That poem and the feelings it represented were no longer there.

**

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Author's Note:**

-:-Tons of thanks to all of you guys who reviewed! I really appreciate it!  
_Icy Rabbit  
__rko-y2j  
__Mischelle (I think your good luck wish jinxed me – in a good way! I aced all the midterms and the party rocked! Thanks!)  
__Johncenagirl  
__HopelessRomantic225  
__JennyJennJen  
__LittleKnux2008  
_Please review this chapter and let me know what you think of the poem. I didn't use any certain style, just kind of… wrote it! Lol. I hope you liked this chapter! And of course like always, if you have any suggestions, let me know!

-:-LittleKnux2008 (Liz) started a Yahoo! Group and is posting a story on there that might not be released on ! Also, if you join you could get previews and sneak peaks at her other stories! And you have a chance to show off your work to other writes, new members are always welcome. The more, the merrier! There's a link in my profile if you'd like to check it out!


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** Once again, my deepest apologies for not updating, and I have no excuse but laziness and forgetfulness. Sorry, sorry, sorry! Tons of thanks to my little sister who wanted to help me out w/ this chapter, and she did an awesome job and had amazing ideas! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

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**Chapter 9**

He'd gotten a few much needed hours of sleep, but Randy's impatience to see her was rapidly increasing. Walking through hospital halls was definitely not what he most wanted to do, but in order to get to Stacy; there wasn't much of a choice. Rushing down the corridor in his faded blue jeans, Randy stopped abruptly to find himself face to face with the one and only, Scott Steiner. Yes, they were nearly ten feet apart, but the tension in the air was very much present as the two men exchanged hostile glares.

Scott's repulsive words broke the awkward silence.

"What are you doing here, Orton?" Scott inquired, lying in his hospital bed while Randy stood at the doorway.

"I'm here to see Stacy, why would _you_, of all people, give a damn?" Randy snapped back.

Scott let out a wicked chuckle from the pit of his stomach, replying, "She's my girlfriend, and no matter what you think, you won't have her." A threatening expression came upon his face as he growled, "You better stay away from her."

"Or what, Steiner? You gonna throw your little IV at me? Oh, I'm scared!" Randy joked. "Look," he continued with a serious attitude as stepped inside the room, "I just want to protect Stacy because you treat her like she's nothing, like she doesn't have any feelings. She's not your slave! And if I have anything to say about it, things around here are gonna change. You got that?"

"How do you know you'll be _around_ to say anything about it?" Scott smirked.

"Keep your smart-ass comments to yourself. I'm not going down without a fight." Randy said, turning his back to the hospitalized man, beginning to move for the door.

Randy could take him. Scott realized this quickly, but almost too quickly. He wasn't willing to surrender to the fact, so he silently reached to his left getting a hold of a shiny metal tray full of doctor's instruments. He lifted it off of the bedside table, grasping it tightly, allowing everything on it to drop to the floor. Randy turned around at the unexpected clatter of metal crashing into the floor. Taking advantage of this, Scott mercilessly threw the tray, aiming for Randy's head but instead hitting his abs.

Feeling the pain spread through his muscular abdomen, Randy bent himself in half, wrapping his arms around his stomach. He let out a slight groan as he gritted his teeth.

"How do you like that, Orton? You wanna fight? Bring it."

Wincing at his throbbing abdomen as he stood up, Randy glared into Scott's cold eyes, showing him that he wasn't the least bit intimidated. Confidently, he reached the doorway, turning around one last time.

"I'm not done with you," Randy snarled and left the room.

Reaching Stacy's door, he raised his hand to knock but stopped dead in his tracks. Randy peeked into the room through the slightly opened door. The young man caught a glimpse of the most beautiful sight his eyes had ever beheld – the gentle rays of the sun shining through the window onto Stacy's charming face. The sleeping beauty's magnificence had Randy gazing at her, almost breathlessly. Any pain he'd felt before this moment vanished, simply vanished.

Randy found himself nearly tip-toeing inside the hospital room until he reached the chair facing Stacy's bed. Once he'd sat down, he rested his elbows on his knees and intertwined his fingers, only to rest his head in his hands. Randy couldn't help but once again stare at the blonde's innocent expression. The time and silence that surrounded him led his mind to wander.

'_What am I getting myself into? Honestly, I don't even know if Stacy cares for me as I for her. I hope she does… She's unlike any other girl I've met. Yeah, I know I haven't even spent very much time with her, but there's just something about her, something that makes her different from all the rest.' _Randy sat up straight, shifting his body slightly until he was comfortable and allowed his thoughts to take him back to the RAW locker room.

Randy pushed his locker room door open, feeling a gust of cool air come at him from the hallway. With all his wrestling gear on, he stepped out, stretching slightly in preparation for his upcoming match. Not a moment had passed until Stacy came strutting down the hallway. She had caught a glimpse of Randy standing there and shyly tucked the right side of her hair behind her ear. She revealed a flirty smile that showed off a rarely-seen sparkle in her eye.

"Hey, Randy," she hardly muttered, flashing another smile.

All the young man could do was grin back as his heart fluttered inside his chest…

'_God, I am so pathetic. I take one look at the girl, and I melt! What in the world is wrong with me?'_ After he asked himself that, Randy's eyes widened, an element of uncertainty coloring his facial expressions.

'_What if I—'_ he automatically cut himself off, figuring that was impossible. However, his mind wasn't ready to let him get away with it that easily.

'_What if I love her?'

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_

**Author's Note:** I hope you guys liked! I wanna give major props to my little sister who co-wrote half of this with me! She's good at this kinda stuff! Lol, once again, so many apologies for the really late update, it's been a crazy three weeks. Tons of love and thanks to those of you who reviewed! You have no idea how much I love you guys! 70 REVIEWS! Yeah, you really have no idea! Well, don't forget to review this chapter… please! D


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Stacy moaned and shuffled slightly in her sleep, startling Randy with her sudden movement. The young man let out a sigh through his parted lips as his mind overflowed with the thoughts that engulfed the once-present emptiness. All the thinking eventually began to blur his vision as his eyes began to droop.

"Randy?" Stacy whispered as Randy snapped back to reality.

"Hey, sweetie. Hope I didn't wake you."

"Oh, no, no. Did you get some sleep?"

"Yeah, I did need a bit of rest. You were right, of course," Randy admitted with a charming chuckle.

A period of comfortable silence filled the room for several moments. Only the whirring hums from the machines surrounding the bed could be heard, until Stacy's soft and slightly sleepy voice shattered the peace.

"You know," she began, her eyes focused on her hands, "I never properly thanked you for what you did for me."

"It's no big deal, really," replied Randy, meaning every word he said. Even after such a short time, he felt as if he'd do anything for this girl.

"No, Randy, it is. You have no idea what hell I've had to live through," Stacy protested. As the tears pricked at her chocolate brown eyes, she slowly and carefully picked the right words to explain her previous statement. "I was treated like a piece of his property, someone Scott could boss around and use for his amusement as he pleased. Lita's really the only one who knows all the details, because she's the only one it seems I can trust. Do you know how impossibly difficult it is to try to live your life on your own with no help and no friends? To live without someone who truly loves you and cares for you… Even my own parents wouldn't agree to help!" Stacy cried as her true emotions revealed themselves. There was a mixture of anger, hatred, and sorrow that had been bottled up inside her for too long. It'd been destroying her on the inside and it wasn't something she could keep bottled up any longer without going insane.

Randy immediately rose up from his chair, walking to Stacy's bed. He sat down beside her, taking her petite hand in his own, wiping away her stray tears with the other.

"And I even feel guilty," she managed to utter between the sobs that constantly got caught in her throat, "that you have to go through this for me. I'm not worth all the trouble, Randy. I mean, Scott… Scott could kill you just to get back what is 'rightfully his.'"

Randy gazed at Stacy, his eyes full of shock and outrage. Stacy's tremendously low self-esteem left him completely speechless, his mind blank. Someone had to talk some sense into her, and apparently it would be him.

"Stacy, don't you see what Scott's done? Look at you, talking about yourself as if you're completely insignificant. Honey, don't you understand how he's made you think?" Randy inquired as Stacy turned her head in an ashamed manner. "Stacy, look at me. You can't go on like this, you really can't. And even though you won't be able to see it for a while, this will change. Look at you, I mean, the expression on your face alone is pitiful. Baby, you need to forget anything that jerk has said about you. You're going to need to take a good look at yourself in the mirror and decide what _you_ see, not what he's told you you're supposed to see."

Stacy sighed with surrender and answered honestly to Randy's accusation.

"Actually, I realized that a while ago, and I didn't do anything about it. I know it was the wrong choice to make, but it's kind of hard when you're constantly reminded of your imperfections. The littlest thing doesn't look exactly right, and suddenly _I_ start criticizing myself," she replied as she tried to abstain herself from permitting the tears to spill once again.

At this point, Randy was really beginning to worry about exactly how much Scott had gotten to her. He already managed to have her insulting herself!

"Stacy, you're gorgeous and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Our imperfections are what make us human, what make us unique, and we don't have any choice but to accept that. Embrace your flaws and view them as elements that are meant to be admired, not despised."

Randy's insightful comments really caused Stacy to think about the message he was attempting to portray. _'I should love myself for who I am, for who I'm meant to be, shouldn't I? How could I have let this happen? But…'_ she thought to herself.

"But Randy, what about when I have to go back to Scott for the show?" as Stacy spoke those words, worry and fear masked her beautiful face.

"Are you crazy? You're not going back to Scott. Only over my cold, dead body. You can ride with me, and I'll talk to Linda McMahon about making some changes in the script," Randy responded in a cold, firm tone.

"Randy, I don't want to be an inconvenience and interfere," Stacy argued, only to be cut off.

"You're not any trouble at all, and I'd be more than happy to have you with me, honestly," the young wrestler assured her as Stacy began to fidget with her hands yet again. "It's really up to you, but I only want what's best for you, Stace. And what's best for you is staying as far away from Scott as possible."

"Um, to be completely honest," Stacy confessed and looked in Randy's eyes as she continued, "I'm relieved. Right now, I feel lost and cold, like I don't even know who I am. I really don't want to live that way anymore, I want my life back. I want it to be under my control, not _his_. Either way, though, that's going to take a lot of work and it won't be easy for me or for you if you really decide to take me along with you. I wouldn't want to be a burden, Randy."

The look in Randy's eyes really motivated the Diva to do as she'd said. Randy was now there for her, and things would be different. He'd make everything okay again. He'd be the one to remind her of what true happiness feels like.

What concerned Stacy at this point is that Scott started out this way too.

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**Author's Note:** Hey everyone, and once again, I'm sorry for not updating for so long! Part of the reason I hadn't was because I was working on a song-fic, using the song "Let Me Go" by 3 Doors Down, that I posted end of Feb/beginning of March time frame. It's a Trish/Jericho fic (No, I'm no fan of Trish Stratus, but I figured hers and Chris's "relationship" could work for this thing lol), so if you get bored and want to read it, let me know what you think of it. I'm definitely not experienced w/ song-fics so if you like it, you know the drill, criticism, comments, questions and everything else are always welcome. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, please review! 


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Randy and Stacy entered their new hotel room in New York City, where RAW was airing live this week, simply throwing down their bags on the floor. It was around two o'clock in the afternoon and nearly a week since Stacy had been in the hospital. Since then, many adjustments were made in her life. She was traveling with Randy now, with whom she felt much more secure. Stacy could hardly express her gratefulness to Randy because what he'd done for her probably saved her life in the long run. During this week she'd spent with him, Stacy had gotten to know the wrestler better and also put more trust in him. He was always polite, always put her first. He virtually treated Stacy as if she were made of glass could shatter into millions of pieces within seconds. She knew he meant well and cared for her tremendously, but sometimes it just got a little overwhelming, even for her.

The one thing that hadn't changed, though, was all the traveling both of them did. It was difficult being in a different city and a different hotel room just about every single night. It was even tougher not being able to call any of these places 'home.' Stacy was amazed by how much meaning one word could have, and how a person might never fully understand its significance until it's basically gone. On the other hand, the blonde had become quite accustomed to it by now. Living out of a suitcase was a job in itself, but a skill she'd mastered long ago.

Stacy bent down and unzipped her bag, shuffling around in search of a magazine she'd bought earlier. Once she got a hold of it, the blonde situated herself on her bed and flipped through the pages to find something that seemed appealing to her.

"Stace, I'm going to take a quick shower. I'll be out in a bit," Randy announced as he walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

As soon as Stacy heard the shower turn on, someone knocked at the door. At first, the brisk sound caught her by surprise and shocked her a little. Hesitantly, she placed the magazine down on top of the comforter and tiptoed to the door. Cautiously, she reached for the knob, turning it gradually and opening the door no more than a crack. Stacy peered out into the hallway only to be greeted by the bellhop who held a humongous bouquet of flowers.

Realizing it was pretty much safe to open the door, Stacy did so and glared at the bellhop, nearly ready to burst with curiosity.

"I have a delivery here for a miss," the boy paused to take a quick glance at the card, "Miss Stacy Keibler."

"Oh, that'd be me," Stacy replied as she was handed the flowers. "Thank you," she said and closed the door using her foot, obviously, since her hands were clearly full.

"Wow, they're so gorgeous," the young woman breathed as she put the aromatic tulips in a vase with cold water. _'I wonder who sent them…'_ she thought to herself as her fingers ran over the soft, pink petals, and just took her time to admire the dazzling sight before her.

Stacy finally caught a glimpse of the card and impatiently snatched it. A smile danced on her face as she allowed her curiosity to get the best of her.

As soon as she read the appalling words, Stacy regretted the joy she'd felt when she had received the flowers and immediately closed the card. She completely froze, her blood ran cold, and it was almost as if time had stopped. The Diva hoped and prayed this was just some figment of her imagination; unfortunately, it turned out things wouldn't be that simple. Stacy opened the card once again, facing the reality of what was written inside.

_Pooh Bear,_

_I miss you, sweetie. Come back home. _

_Love,  
__Scott_

Only one person had ever called her "pooh bear" and, coincidentally, that happened to be someone she wanted out of her life.

Or so she thought. Stacy shook her head, refusing to believe the words she'd read.

"Those flowers are pretty, Stacy. Who are they from?" Randy, wearing new, clean clothes, inquired as he walked out of the bathroom, destroying the uneasy silence.

"Um," was all Stacy could manage to mutter while she watched Randy grasp the tiny card in his hand. She couldn't bear to see him read it, so she focused her eyesight on the beige carpet.

"Is this some kind of joke?" happened to be Randy's next question, once again directed at the confused Diva. "Stacy?" Her eyes snapped back in his direction at the mention of her name as he calmly asked, "You're not going to fall for this, are you? You know he's just trying to make you go back to him so he can hurt you again. Stacy, you've done incredibly well without him, don't let him do this to you again. Are you thinking of going back?"

"No, I… I mean… he…" Stacy mumbled, not knowing what sort of answer to give.

"Stacy! You can't be serious!" Randy yelled in response to her incoherent reaction.

"Randy, look, I just need to figure out a few things," she said quietly in fear of starting a fight.

"I'll be back later," he said decisively through gritted teeth, grabbing his car keys and slamming the door behind him.

At the present moment, Stacy had no idea what to do, what to think. She tried to lie down on her bed and read the magazine she'd pulled out earlier, but it was useless. So many questions buzzed around her head that demanded answers - answers she had yet to obtain.

Maybe it'd been the jet lag finally catching up with her or it's possible that she'd just been tired, because not even ten minutes had passed before Stacy found herself drifting off into a peaceful sleep. She finally received a break from all the thinking, worrying, and arguing.

* * *

A loud, sudden ringing awoke Stacy from her slumber. Thinking it might just go away, she tried to go back to sleep, but the familiar chime was persistent. Eventually, the blonde realized it was her cell phone as she got off the bed in search of the evil object that disturbed her nap. Once she grabbed it out of her purse, Stacy flipped the phone open. 

"Hello?" she answered in a rather sleepy and grumpy tone.

"Hey, it's Randy," replied the voice on the opposite end of the line.

"What do you want? Did you call to yell at me some more?" Stacy snapped, immediately feeling awake.

"Look, Stace, I called to apologize. What I did was way out of line, and I realize this. I'm sorry about everything that went on earlier," Randy conveyed sincerely.

"Okay, but you take a minute to listen to me. I am a grown woman and I think I can take care of myself. I can take responsibility for my own actions; don't let anyone tell you otherwise," she protested defensively.

"I know that, you're right. I just want what's best for you… I'd hate to see you hurt again," Randy paused for a second, letting his words sink in. "That's why as my apology I'd like to take you out tonight."

"Honey, that's not necessary, really. I mean, I understand the reason behind your reaction and you had every right to react the way you did. Of course, you do need to learn that I'm old enough now to make my own decisions."

Randy let out a slight laugh. "Just wear something a little fancier than usual and I'll be there to pick you up at seven. See you then," were his last words before he hung up.

Stacy could hardly believe what he was doing. No, it certainly wasn't required, but she knew that was one of the sweetest things anyone had done for her.

'_Whoa, wait a second. He's coming to get me at seven?'_ she thought to herself as she glanced at her watch. _'It's six o'clock already! I slept almost four whole hours. Oh my god, I have to hurry up and get ready!'_

* * *

**Author's Note:** Yes, it's finally here! Lol, I finally got the chapter written and I hope you guys enjoyed it. I might have a little more time on my hands in the upcoming week, so hopefully I can get the next chapter up… about a week from now. Wish me luck! (Oh yeah, and please review:-D) 


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The long and extremely grueling process of getting ready was nearly over. Stacy had been working on the last steps of her makeup routine, currently applying a light, sparkly pink lip gloss, when she heard a familiar ring emitted from her cell phone. The compact, silver object continued chiming inside Stacy's purse as she made her way to it, nearly tripping over her traveling bag on the floor.

Sounding somewhat out of breath from her near-trip, she flipped the phone open and answered, "Hello?"

"Hey, it's Randy. I'm downstairs in front of the entrance, so come down whenever you're ready. I'll be waiting."

"Okay, I'll be down in just a sec," was the blonde's reply before her phone returned to its original stance inside her purse.

A flowery scent spread throughout the air as she sprayed her favorite perfume onto her wrists and neck. Recapping her perfume bottle, Stacy set it down onto her bedside table and continued on to grab her shoes. She gracefully slipped her foot into a strappy baby blue high-heel sandal covered with rhinestones, buckling its top strap and repeating the procedure. The woman grabbed her matching purse and strolled towards the door, of course, first pausing in front of the mirror for a mere five seconds to check her hair for the last time.

The elevator doors were facing the front entrance of the extravagant hotel, and upon their opening, revealed a smiling blonde wearing an elegant floor-length black dress that shimmered upon her every move. The garment, possessing a long slit up her right leg,clung toStacy's every curve, creating an incredibly flirtatious illusion.

The doormen opened the glass entrance doors, triggering a warm breeze to brush against her skin as she stepped outside the confinements of the remarkable building. Randy stood about ten feet from Stacy in front of a luxurious black limousine. She almost looked like a supermodel walking out, looking as gorgeous as she did.

Randy whistled as he looked the stunning woman coming towards him from top to bottom.

"Whoa, Stace, you look hot!"

"Randy!"

"I'm just playin'," he replied with a sweet, charming smile, capable of making any woman's heart melt, as he opened the limo door for her. How was it possible to hold a grudge against a guy with a cute face like that?

It wasn't.

Disregarding the previous salutation, the two greeted each other with a welcoming hug before climbing inside the car.

After taking a moment to soak everything in, Stacy's first words were, "Oh, my God, Randy, this is so amazing. You didn't have to go through all the trouble, though."

The car began its journey through the busy New York streets to their destination as Randy handed Stacy a tall crystal glass of champagne.

"You have every second of this night planned, don't you?" Stacy giggled as she took a slight sip of the beverage.

"I want you to have the best night of your life. After all, you deserve it. I really didn't mean to get in your business this afternoon. I just kind of… spoke without thinking," Randy glanced at her sincerely, providing proof that he meant every word.

"It's okay, honey, really. It just kind of scared me a little when you yelled like that, you know?" Suddenly, the blonde found the bubbles in champagne strangely interesting and avoided looking at Randy. She was well aware of the effect it – the comparison to Scott – would have on him; he loathed the corrupted man and associating the two almost seemed… wrong. Stacy attempted to refrain from actually seeing his hurt gaze, but it was useless. She could feel the look baring into her.

"I'm really, really sorry, Stacy," Randy finally spoke, after genuinely understanding the damage he'd done, as he pulled the blonde in for a deep, heart-felt embrace.

"It's no big deal," she whispered in his ear as her arms wrapped around him, "I know you didn't mean for it to turn out like that, Randy. Seriously, forget about it, we'll put it behind us. I mean, hey, you can worry about this later. I don't know what you have planned, but let's enjoy it!" Stacy remarked, pulling back and looking into his eyes reassuringly.

"Don't ever let me do that again," he pleaded, receiving a nod in response.

* * *

While Randy confirmed the reservations, Stacy glanced around. The restaurant was absolutely magnificent. It honestly could not havebeen any better. Modern Love was its name which, in Stacy's opinion, was probably not coincidental. A little smile danced across her lips at the thought, and she proceeded to accustom herself to her surroundings for the evening. The tall structure had gorgeous angled ceilings and what happened to be even more amazing was the fact that it wasn't just a restaurant, but it had a café, too! The two separate sections were divided by a partition of frosted glass; not to mention, everything looked sophisticated and modern, hence the name. Stacy could hardly believe what was right in front of her; it was almost too good to be true.

The two were ushered to their table by a polite gentleman, who was also to be their waiter for the night. They sat down at a square table, covered in what almost looked like a thin blanket of snow. A small glass vase was present in the center, brimming with luscious red roses, among which pieces of baby's breath were selectively placed.

Stacy gasped when she caught sight of the flowers.

"They have roses in the middle of the table! Oh, I absolutely love those. Wait a minute," she paused as she took another glance around the place, "we're the only table that has roses."

"I know," Randy stated effortlessly.

Stacy all but jumped over the table and hugged Randy. She couldn't believe Randy would do that! But… how did he know?

"Your hotel suite was covered in them at one point, was it not?" he remarked, his lips forming into a sly grin.

"You are so right! How did you know about _that_? Oh, never mind! Duh," Stacy said, beginning to laugh at her silliness.

"Blonde moment?"

"Hey! Just because I'm blonde you can't…" she sighed, "yeah, you can. Well, I have my moments. It's not like you're Mr. Perfect, either, though," she laughed, confirming the fact that she was only joking.

* * *

A couple hours later, Randy and Stacy were just preparing themselves to go back to their hotel room. Both of them rose from their chairs and were putting on their coats when Stacy decided to take a quick glimpse around the room, wondering if she'd notice any familiar faces.

Of course, being in the wrestling business, she was used to being stared at, but this was different. Even during their exceptionally enjoyable dinner, it eventually became challenging to shake the feeling that someone wasn't just looking at her, but they were _watching_ her. No one in the whole room seemed even the least bit recognizable to her, a realization that sent chills up her spine.

Just as they walked out the door, Stacy became aware of the rain splashing onto the pavement for the first time. Unfortunately, she soon figured out that her purse wouldn't shelter her from the falling water at all, but thankfully, it wasn't a long walk to the limo.

* * *

During the short ride home, Randy and Stacy talked about the awesome Italian food they'd had, the great service, and even more about their conversation during dinner.

"Thank you so much, Randy," Stacy commented truthfully as they neared the hotel.

"You're welcome. You know I was more than happy to do it… but there's one more thing," Randy revealed.

"What more could there be? This night couldn't be any more perfect really. I don't know if I could handle any more surprises," she admitted witha giggle.

"I think you can deal with this one," Randy assured her before the sly grin returned. Right at that moment, the limo pulled up to the hotel entrance, and the couple stepped out. They stood there, Randy holding Stacy in his arms under the pouring rain, both of them soaked.

He had been right. There was nothing more romantic than kissing in the rain.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Hey, guys. It's been a while! Just 'cause of that, I made this chapter about 300 words longer for ya. Thanks for your patience, and if you're still out there, please review! Much Love! 


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Stacy had always enjoyed working for the WWE; there was never a dull moment. However, she was a little disappointed when she found out Randy would have to train for six hours on his day off. The previous night had been amazing; Stacy couldn't put it into words if she tried. Randy and she had an undeniable chemistry together, so they took advantage of it. As of last night, they were an official couple. She wasn't just traveling with him anymore to remain a safe distance from that devil of a man Scott, but now she truly had a reason.

Since she couldn't spend this wonderful sunny day with her new boyfriend, Stacy decided to do the next best thing every woman loves doing – shopping. After all, New York was said to be one of the best places to shop in the world, right? Stacy figured she might as well benefit of it while she was here. Now her block of time was viewed in a slightly different way - there were countless stores to visit, and she only had six hours.

Walking around in New York has its similarities to driving. Walking on the right side of the sidewalk and lingering among groups of strangers while waiting for the stoplights to change were just a couple, but there was obviously more foot traffic around here than in most places Stacy had visited.

During small amounts of time, Stacy saw numerous faces, none of which she'd remember even ten seconds later. One man who'd passed by her offered a warm smile, which she gratefully accepted by sending a friendly wave in his direction.

That one simple interaction made her wonder. _'That was a really sweet thing of him to do. I mean, I don't even know the man, and he uses his best manners with me. Most other people stare, which is kind of creepy, actually. It's almost like all the manners that were taught to children as they grow up disappear. Why is that,' _she thought to herself, _'why is it that these kids can't get a good education become doctors or something instead of some… I don't know, hooligans or something,'_ Stacy paused for a moment and looked down at her shoes before continuing with her self-talk. _'Well, mom and dad didn't approve of what you were doing with your life either, Stacy,' _she reminded herself.

"Whatever," she muttered out loud. It had been a random topic that had popped into her mind, and all the thinking it provoked had made her hungry. Stacy was satisfied with the purchases she'd made, so she stopped by McDonald's, a restaurant which seemed to be an abundance in New York, grabbed a salad and snacked on it as she walked back to the hotel.

* * *

At around seven that evening, Randy strolled through the door, his gear in a gym bag over his shoulder. Stacy immediately jumped up off the bed to greet him at the door with hugs and kisses, which were eagerly returned.

"I missed you today," she told him as her arms curled around his neck.

"I missed you more," Randy replied, smiling. "What's that you got there?"

"Ice cream! I called room service and they brought some up for me. You want some?" Stacy asked innocently. Her boyfriend nodded in response, unaware of the hidden meaning behind her offer. Stacy lifted one of her arms and moved it towards her, but her eyes remained on Randy's.

"I hope you like vanilla," Stacy informed him as she found herself smearing vanilla ice cream all over Randy's face and giggling uncontrollably. All he did in retaliation, however, was to just stand there and tolerate it… for now. The coolness of the ice cream caused a tingly feeling to spread throughout the skin on his face as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Are you done yet?" he questioned.

"Nope," she replied as she touched up a few spots she'd missed. "Okay, now I'm done," were the last words she said with an ear-to-ear grin on her face. Stacy stood back, admiring her beautiful artwork and enjoying every minute of her little prank.

"Ha, you enjoy your victory now, but you just wait until I get my revenge," Randy responded with a wicked smile of his own.

"Can I get the camera?" Stacy pleaded. When the young wrestler shook his head, she hit him with the puppy face.

"Oh, come on. That's not fair!" He laughed as he sauntered toward her. "Okay, look, I'll make you a deal," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist, "you can pick the movie for us to watch tonight if we forget about the camera."

"Hmm, this is proving to be a very tough decision for me to make," she answered sarcastically. After swiping her finger down his cheek and treating herself to some ice cream, she said, "You've got a deal. And I know what movie we're watching, too," she beamed as she skipped to her suitcase, leaving Randy a chance to go wash up.

Stacy put a movie in the DVD player, adjusted herself until she found a comfortable position on the bed and started the movie. Randy exited the bathroom, turning off the lights in the room and laid down next to his girlfriend. He put his arm around her and Stacy instinctively rested her head on his chest.

"So what movie are we watching?" Randy asked.

"How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," Stacy replied calmly.

"We're watching… a chick flick?" her boyfriend recited slowly.

"Yup."

"Let me go grab the tissues for you. Should I get your make up case, too, so you can touch up your make up?" Randy said, pointing to the bathroom.

Stacy lightly hit his arm and ordered, "Shush! The movie's starting."

He laughed and replied with a simple "Okay."

As the movie was coming to a close, Stacy was sniffling violently and tears rolled down her cheeks, leaving black trails of mascara behind.

"Oh, that was so incredibly cute," she declared between sniffles.

"Are you sure you don't want those tissues? Now would be as good a time as any," Randy stated.

Hitting him again, she laughed as she sarcastically told him to "shut up."

"Hey, now. You know better than that, missy. You know what I'm going to have to do now," he said with a smirk.

"What?"

With that comment, Randy began to tickle Stacy's sides as she screamed and kicked with laughter.

Once he stopped, the Diva instantly commented.

"You know I hate being tickled."

"No, I didn't," Randy protested.

"Well…" Stacy hesitated, "you do now!"

"I got you to stop crying. Maybe you don't like being tickled, but I don't like seeing you cry," he admitted earnestly.

"Aww, baby," she said, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he smiled and gently kissed her forehead.

At that moment, being in Randy's arms made Stacy feel so loved and so appreciated, she never wanted to leave his side. Not one of the hotel rooms they stayed at every week would come anything close to home, but laying there in his protective hold was different. Being in his arms _was_ like home.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Another chapter, kind of slow, but to move things along a little, let you get to know the characters better. If you're still out there, please review! Almost at 100! 


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

The sweet and cheerful song of the birds perched on the windowsill succeeded in waking Stacy from a peaceful dream. The sun shone through the glass windows and the rays of sunshine concentrated on her face, creating an irresistible sparkle in her chocolate brown eyes. She rolled onto her side, getting jumbled up in the sheets in the process of doing so, to manage a glance at the digital clock on the nightstand. The short green slits of light displayed the early morning hour of nine o'clock. With no hesitation, Stacy blinked sleepily, positioned herself onto her stomach with her face in the pillow. Sure, she would stay in bed all day if she could, but then she'd never find out what she'd missed.

Detecting the empty space next to her, Stacy made her greatest effort to lift her head in order to find out Randy's whereabouts or at least if he was in the room. Indeed, he was. The swish of the water rhythmically beating down onto the white porcelain of the bathroom sink gave it away. The blonde figured he'd already taken a shower and he was shaving at the moment, so she decided to let him know she was up.

Apparently that was merely a mental decision, since no progress had been made after roughly ten minutes.

'_Thinking about it is so much easier than actually doing it,'_ Stacy told herself. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she groaned and fumbled with the sheets in a failing attempt to unwrap her tangled self. Actually standing up turned out to be a challenge in itself.

'_Okay. Note to self: Don't let anyone mummify me when I die.'_ Her messy blonde hair whirled around all over the place as Stacy spun in every which direction, concluding her intense efforts with a thud as she collapsed to the floor. _'Ow.'_ With a forfeiting sigh, she realized all that hard work wasn't a complete waste; the satin sheet fell into a pool of fabric around her feet when she finally managed to get up.

"Good morning," Stacy whispered in a drowsy voice, leaning in the doorway of the bathroom.

"Morning," Randy replied with his eyes still glued to the mirror as he continued to shave.

"When'd you get up?"

"Maybe about a half hour ago, I don't know," he said as his eyes traveled outside the confinements of the mirror, looking at his girlfriend for the first time that morning. "Whoa. What happened to you?" he snickered.

An inexpressible icy glare was fired in Randy's direction, which only caused him to laugh harder.

"That look is _so_ much more evil in the morning," he grinned.

All Stacy could do in retaliation was grunt and walk off to change into some other clothes. Clearly, she wasn't awake yet.

She slipped out of the tank top and pair of shorts she wore to sleep and tossed them onto the unmade bed. After rummaging in her bag for what seemed like a much longer time than two minutes in a desperate search of something cute, Stacy ultimately settled on a pair of light blue jeans and a pink baby tee.

"Okay, pretty boy. It's my turn in front of the mirror!" she yelled, skipping to the bathroom entrance once again.

Randy chuckled as he dried his face and left the bathroom to get himself clothed. As he unzipped his bag the sound of Stacy's soft humming traveled to his ears, so he sat down on the bed and took a moment to just look at the woman who'd been a completely different person days before. While Stacy was dancing around and applying mascara in front of the mirror, Randy realized just how happy she really was. This wasn't the same girl with the indescribable fear in her eyes every time someone made a brisk movement; now, she seemed absolutely ecstatic, she was being her fun, crazy self, and knowing that he'd caused that change in the woman he loved was a feeling beyond anything that could be depicted with words.

Completely oblivious to the fact that he'd been staring at Stacy during the entire time, Randy awoke from his trance when his girlfriend took his face in her hands, looked at him straight in the eyes and whispered, "You know it's not very polite to stare. Besides, you should stop before you start drooling." With that said, she walked around the bed with a smile attached to her face to pick up the ringing phone.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Um, hello, Miss Keibler?" replied the concierge at the front desk.

"Yup, that'd be me."

"There's someone waiting to speak with you in the downstairs lobby. They said it was about work and requested that you come alone."

"Okay, I'll be right there. Thank you," Stacy said and hung up the phone.

"Is everything all right?" Randy questioned.

"Yeah, I think so. They said someone was here to see me about work. Maybe it's Linda or Vince," she shrugged.

"They don't make house – hotel calls, rather."

"You never know, there's a first time for everything."

"I don't know, Stace," he replied, obvious concern apparent in his eyes, "I'll come with you."

"No, I have to go alone. I'm telling you, don't worry, everything is fine. If it's about work, it won't be that big of a deal, baby."

Randy let out a sigh and reluctantly responded with, "Okay."

"All right, I'll be back in ten," Stacy said, grabbing her purse off the nightstand and turning in the door's direction. Randy stood up in front of her, wrapping his arms around her and giving her a gentle kiss.

"Be careful."

"I will, promise," she responded and walked towards the door. She blew a kiss to her boyfriend, who watched helplessly as she disappeared from the room.

* * *

**Author's Note:** YAY! It's finally up! So sorry for the long wait. I hope you liked this, let me know what you think. Please review (if you're still out there!). OH! And! You guys! Over 100 reviews! Oh, God, that is so awesome. Lord, all the squealing that took place was… yeah, we'll leave it at that. Thank you sooo much! 


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

'_No, that's impossible,'_ Stacy said to herself in attempt to shake off the negative frightening thoughts from her mind. _'Don't kid yourself. It could be him, and I know it. So, then why in the world didn't I let Randy come with me? I can't take him on all alone if he's there. What the hell am I going to do?'_ She sighed and prayed silently to herself; it was amazing how many thoughts could run through one's mind in a twenty second elevator ride.

The shiny metal doors slid open, unveiling the large lobby. The reception desk stood about thirty feet from Stacy's left side; the floors were carpeted with a wine red shade, and the same color of sheer curtains enhanced the borders of the beautiful floor-length windows. The sunlight lit up the huge room that was filled with seemingly comfortable sofas and armchairs surrounding elegant, wood coffee tables. There was a small café present on the far right end of the room, with stools surrounding the delicate gray and white marble counter. People were sitting all around, laughing and enjoying themselves over a cup of coffee.

"Wow," whispered Stacy as the elegant simplicity sunk in all at once. For a minute there, she'd almost forgotten everything that'd invaded her mind just seconds earlier. With a reminder of her chilling, unwanted expectations, the blonde's eyes darted around the room in search of something - - actually, more like someone…

"Stacy!" a voice rang out, causing Stacy to jump slightly, but yet she strived to uncover its origin.

* * *

He couldn't shake the feeling. Everything was about to go incredibly wrong, but he _had_ to do something to prevent it. Randy was pacing back and forth in front of the bed like a caged lion, and pretty soon he'd end up wearing holes in the floor.

All in all, he didn't know what to do. The fact that Stacy could get hurt scared the living hell out of him, and Randy wasn't afraid to admit it. Seeing her harmed in any way was like tearing out a piece of his heart and letting it shatter to pieces. Unfortunately, he was aware that if he showed up… Things wouldn't go well, to say the least.

"Why did I even let her leave?" Randy yelled as he balled his strong hands into fists, angered with himself for even letting her touch that doorknob.

* * *

Who could miss that red, fiery hair? People could probably see it from the moon. Stacy relaxed her tensed muscles as she spotted Lita waving her over to the café area. With a smile now firmly plastered onto her face, the blonde sat onto the stool and hung her purse on the back of it. Nothing could have made her happier at this moment than seeing the shining face of her best friend.

"Business? Since when is coffee considered business?" Stacy laughed.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry about that, but I had to get you away from Randy somehow!" Lita winked at the woman opposite of her and they both laughed.

"You had me so worried! I expected someone different, since the lady at the desk didn't give me a name."

"I realized that after you jumped when I called your name. I'm sorry, I should have told her to tell you who it was," Lita replied with an apologetic expression.

"I better give Randy a call. I don't want him pacing himself all the way through five floors and falling from the ceiling in here."

Stacy turned and pulled her cell phone from her purse, dialing the room number. Randy picked up, frantically asking if everything was okay, who she was with, where that person took her, and his fast talking soon became incoherent. It amazed her how he could fit all that into fifteen seconds, however, she'd pulled the phone away from her ear within the first three.

"Honey… Randy, calm down, I'm fine," she giggled, "I can't get a word in edgewise, how do you expect me to answer all those questions? Well, that is, not considering the fact that I didn't hear most of them. Anyway, listen to me for a second. I'm here with Lita, so quit pacing; I don't want to have to pay for those floor damages. Sit down and chill out, we're just having some coffee and talking. You know, girl talk. Baby, relax because you'll need your strength for the show. Okay? All right, I'll talk to you later. Bye!"

"A little paranoid?"

"Li, he has a good reason to be. That was pretty funny, though," Stacy added, grinning.

A young woman working behind the counter brought Stacy and Lita their coffee, which turned out to be totally amazing.

"So… Have you told them yet?" Lita questioned cautiously, knowing that this was a sensitive topic with her friend.

"Who?"

"Your parents."

"Wow, this coffee is really good!" Stacy remarked.

"Stacy, I'm serious. They should know that you're not with Scott anymore," the red head commented.

"I know," she sighed, tracing along the edge of her coffee cup with her index finger. "But Li, I haven't talked to them much. You know they don't approve of what I do and they didn't approve of Scott."

"I'm completely aware of that, but they were right. I think you're just afraid to admit that."

"If you want to get technical - -"

"I don't want to get technical, I want you to be realistic here," Lita interrupted.

Stacy focused on the steaming, hot coffee for a moment, and then took a small sip before countering vaguely, "Well, but you know Scott's a good guy. They just couldn't see that… And after a while, I lost sight of it, too because he was constantly drinking. I guess I - - I guess I just wanted to prove them wrong by staying with him. That turned out well, didn't it?" she concluded sarcastically. "Do you know what's kind of funny, though? I thought he was the one. There was this one night that we'd laid out a blanket at his house in the front yard, and it was probably around midnight, I don't know," Stacy smiled as she recalled a happy memory from the broken relationship, "we both cuddled up and gazed at the stars for what felt like hours, and we were talking about getting married. We talked about what our wedding would be like, the honeymoon, and our house and pets, stuff like that," she chuckled faintly.

The blonde looked up at her best friend with tears in her eyes. Lita could see for the first time that Scott wasn't all bad, but, of course, she still despised him. On the other hand, this brought her to understand what Stacy had gone through when the abuse first started; she knew it'd hurt her immensely to feel hate towards someone she'd loved for so long, because he'd left bruises not only on her skin, but on her heart.

"I'm really sorry, Stace," Lita said, reaching over to embrace and hold her. She couldn't fix it, but she'd be there for Stacy, no matter what.

"Anyway," Stacy voiced, "to answer your first question, no, I haven't told my parents about Randy. I don't know if I should until I'm sure that I'm really serious about him. We'll leave it at that."

"Okay, if you insist. But don't think I won't come back to this with you," Lita smiled.

"Oh, honey, trust me, I _know_ you won't let it go until you get what you want," the blonde giggled. "Okay, I've got to get going because Randy and I were going to go to see a movie this afternoon. I'm really glad I got to see you!" Stacy squealed as both of the women jumped up from their seats and hugged.

"I'll try your cell later and we can talk some more. And by the way, at the movies, don't do anything I wouldn't do," Lita laughed and winked again.

"Okay, I'll see you later," replied Stacy as Lita walked out of the building.

The Diva finished her coffee and stood up, fixing up her outfit and hair. But when she reached for her purse, it wasn't there. She spun around and looked on the floor, yet she didn't see it anywhere.

"Ugh, I liked that purse. And that cell phone."

She sauntered down the carpet, returning to her spot outside the elevator, except this time she was facing the doors. Stacy waited patiently for the elevator to arrive, but during her wait, the unasked for happened.

"Looking for this?"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Wow, an update on time! Actually even a little early. This chappy is about 400 words longer than usual, so the next one is actually a bit shorter. Well, I wrote this chapter as soon as I finished 14, which was a great feeling. Aren't you just proud of me? Lol, just kidding. But I'm so happy… out of one idea, I got two cliffhangers. You guys must really love me! D 


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

As much as she felt she had to get up, today was one day when Stacy felt she really should have stayed in bed that morning. This was definitely something she wouldn't have regretted missing.

"Stacy," spoke the voice she definitely did not look forward to hearing. Everything had been going so well, but now her "dream come true" had turned into a nightmare. Or so she thought.

Slowly and grudgingly, Stacy turned to face her fears and stared down the man who she'd let single-handedly ruin her life.

"Yes, that's mine, and yes, I was looking for it," she affirmed. "Thank you," she breathed through her clenched teeth. Stacy snatched her purse from those monstrous hands and attempted to step into the elevator before the doors shut, but something held her back. That something happened to be Scott's hand gently gripping her upper arm and pulling her back to him.

"Can I just please speak with you for a second?" he spoke after an awkward silence filled with countless emotions. He pleaded her with his eyes, and when Stacy looked into them she spotted a presence she thought had vanished. Scott wasn't about to hurt her.

"Fine, but let go of my arm," she said with clear hostility.

"Look, you have every reason to be mad at me, and I accept that. I know what I did was wrong but I want you to let me make it up to you. I'll be better, Stacy. I promise."

"What kind of idiot do you take me for, Scott? You think I don't remember how many times you've said that to me in the past? You want me to come back to the life I used to have, the life I hated? Staying up all night waiting and all I get for that is you coming home drunk and looking for someone to just throw around and hurt? I can't life through that again. I want to believe you, but it's the same thing every time. I was stupid to trust that you were telling the truth the first… I don't even know how many times! It won't happen, not again, no. I've had about enough of you and your bullshit and I deserve better. I stuck around hoping you'd stop drinking, but it didn't turn out that way, now did it?" Stacy yelled, almost in tears. It felt good to get that off her chest, though, and to the one person that seriously needed to hear it.

"I'm in rehab. I'm trying really hard to make it better," Scott replied, triggering the immediate shock and surprise that overwhelmed the blonde Diva.

"You're in… You're not going to… Rehab. You're in rehab?" Stacy blinked vigorously in attempt to chase away the tears and allow this information to sink in.

"Yeah. I admitted myself when you ended up in the hospital," he muttered quietly, looking away from her astonished gaze.

"But I've been in the hospital before and you didn't - -"

"But that time you didn't come back," he interrupted, speaking softly. "Something was wrong, so I made a decision. I decided to do something about it. I've caused you incredible pain, and I'm aware of it; I know it can't be erased or forgotten but I want a second chance. I want to prove to you that I'm really the man you fell in love with, the one you laid under the stars with, the one who took you to those romantic dinners, and the one who made a fool of himself for you because you wanted him to karaoke."

"Oh, please," Stacy chuckled, "you had, like, five too many beers."

At the last comment, both of them smiled, remembering the night when neither of them could sleep because of the unstoppable laughter that brought tears to their eyes.

"Look, um," Stacy hesitated, "as good as that sounds, I really don't know what to say. I can't just come back to you because you said something that sounds promising but might not end that way. I've found something while you've been gone… That little thing called happiness. I appreciate what you're doing, but, now if you'll excuse me,I have someone upstairs waiting for me."

And with that said she walked away, taking the stairs rather than waiting in a grueling silence for the elevator.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Sorry, it's a bit of a shorter chapter, but… no cliffhanger! Lol. I hope you enjoyed it, please review! 


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note:** Just so you know, some of the italics in this chapter represent flashbacks to earlier events. I'm sure you could've figured it out, but hey, you never know!

* * *

**Chapter 17**

Scott reached the hotel entrance and sent one glance back to Stacy, who was well on her way up the stairs. His face was expressionless, but his eyes pleaded for forgiveness. The Diva stopped in mid-step, holding onto the railing beside her, looking back at the man whom she thought had no feelings.

"I'm sorry," she whispered almost inaudibly, but Scott knew what she'd said. Stacy looked down at her feet as she continued her trip up. The seemingly calm and collected blonde climbed up only far enough to be out of sight from anyone in the lobby, but she simply couldn't go any further. She didn't have the strength to do anything but crumble to the floor, clutching the roots of her hair with one hand and allowing herself to break down completely. The crystal clear tears rolled down her cheeks, exposing Stacy's fears and weaknesses.

This, of all things, had to come along now.

'_Oh, my God. Scott's in rehab. How did this happen? Why is he doing this to me? Damn you, Scott!' _she thought, intensifying the tears and sniffles. The man standing before her moments ago seemed so different than the one she'd grew accustomed to… He seemed like someone she used to know and love…

"All right, pull it together," Stacy told herself after a while of staring at the wall of plaster in front of her violently shaking body, since that wouldn't fix her problems. She propped herself up against the same wall, using it as support because her legs threatened to weaken again. The blonde wiped the tears from her face, but she was afraid her make up had smeared, which would tip Randy off right away that she'd been crying. In order to avoid such an accusation from him, Stacy stopped by a bathroom on one of the floors to clean herself up. Besides, she needed the extra time to get herself together.

She was right in front of the door. Stacy noticed her hand beginning to shake as she reached for the knob, so she pulled it away quickly. Soon, her back was once again pressed to the wall beside the door frame as her gasping breaths made it hard to concentrate on what she knew she had to do.

Lie to Randy.

She'd prayed this moment wouldn't come, but now that it had, she was almost convinced she couldn't do it. But this was for Randy's own good and it needed to be done, whether she liked it or not. Those acting lessons her parents had pushed her into about a year back might finally pay off.

The door squeaked lightly as it opened, and Randy leaped up from the edge of the bed as soon as he heard the sound. He knew she'd been with Lita, but something still didn't feel quite right.

"Hey, sweetie," Stacy greeted him with a smile.

"Hey, how'd it go?"

"Everything was fine; we had some coffee and just talked. I hadn't seen her in a while, you know that," Stacy replied as she set her purse down.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"Don't be, it's not your fault," she assured him, still smiling.

"Well, I was thinking about it and I think all three of us should go out after the show next week. I think it'd be fun."

"That'd be awesome."

"So nothing else went on down there, right?"

'_Nothing you'll find out about.'_ "Right," Stacy nodded.

* * *

The full moon lit the room through the sheer curtains, creating eerie shadows on the walls. The stars sparkled in the darkness, as did the tears that rolled down Stacy's face. It was well into the night, about 2:00 am, but it'd been impossible for her to sleep. Every time she shut her eyes, the image of Scott's face appeared and her mind instantaneously replayed parts of the day that'd passed.

_- - - - -_

"_Look, you have every reason to be mad at me, and I accept that. I know what I did was wrong but I want you to let me make it up to you. I'll be better, Stacy. I promise."_

"_What kind of idiot do you take me for, Scott?" _

Then came the astonishing words that brought the perfect world she'd created crashing down.

"_I'm in rehab. I'm trying really hard to make it better."_

_- - - - -_

"_I don't want to get technical, I want you to be realistic here," _Lita's words rang in her head

"_No, I haven't told my parents about Randy. I don't know if I should until I'm sure that I'm really serious about him. We'll leave it at that."_

"_Okay, if you insist."_

_- - - - -_

Stacy curled herself into a tighter ball as the ongoing conflicts continued inside her. It had all been flawless until the unanticipated events from this morning.

"Expect the unexpected," she whispered to herself, coming to a realization of what her next step would be. Though not fully, she was confident in this decision and would carry it through.

Rolling onto her right side, Stacy lightly nudged Randy's shoulder.

"Randy," she breathed into his ear, "Randy, honey, wake up."

"Mmm…" he replied sleepily, "Just a couple more minutes…"

"Baby, I need to talk to you for just a second, please."

"Sorry," he smiled, turning to look at her. "Yes, your highness?"

"Guess what you get to do tomorrow," she said with an evil grin.

"Um, do I wanna know? That look on your face is kind of scarin' me," he chuckled lightly.

"You get to meet my parents," Stacy answered with determination after a moment of hesitation.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well, there you go, Chapter 17! I'm glad I got it done and I hope I can fit another in before school starts. Picture day is Wednesday… One word: ugh. That's not even a word, but whatever. Why must they torture us like this? Yeah, well anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please Review! 


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Her heart's consistent pounding echoed in her ears, and the butterflies recklessly poked around in her stomach. Why had this become such a big deal? The question Stacy yearned to satisfy was bound to haunt her, despite any of her best efforts. She fidgeted with her fingers and avoided looking up as she sat impatiently in the passenger seat.

Randy glanced over momentarily at his girlfriend's expressionless face, and then returned his eyes quickly to the road ahead. Something had been bothering Stacy, but, unfortunately, he couldn't quite seem to figure it out. She obviously wasn't ready to tell him; he knew better than to push it. Yet, regardless of this knowledge, he still asked her if everything was all right.

"Yeah, it's just a long drive, and I don't feel too good. Kind of nauseous, I think," was her reply.

"I'll keep a look out for a rest stop," Randy suggested.

"No, you don't have to do that. I'll be okay, sweetie."

"I know I don't have to, but I'm going to anyway."

Randy pulled the car into a rest stop, stepped out of the car and leaned against the hood while he looked over the route one more time – a six hour drive wasn't exactly simple to memorize.

"I'm gonna go to the ladies' room," Stacy informed her boyfriend as she bent down to grab her purse from the car.

Once inside, the blonde leaned on a sink and pulled her cell phone from her bag. Flipping it open, she dialed a number and pressed the phone to her ear.

It rang twice before a female voice answered, "Hello, Keibler residence."

"Jamie! Hey, it's Stacy. How are you?"

"Stacy, darling! I'm doing well, and yourself?"

"I'm great, thanks. Could I talk to my mom? I wanted to tell her something."

"Of course, hold on one second."

Following a brief pause on the other end, another female voice responded, one of a more mature woman, "Hello, Stacy."

"Hey, how are you?"

"Great. Is everything okay with you? I mean, because it's not exactly every day I hear from my only daughter."

"It's fine. I wanted to tell you that I'm in town – or rather, on my way there. And I'm bringing home a friend, so make sure dad doesn't decide to polish the guns again like he did that one time, please."

Stacy's mother chuckled, looking back on the memory. "New boyfriend, huh?"

"Yeah, he's a real sweetheart, and I'm hoping you guys won't embarrass me too much," Stacy replied jokingly, with a smile brightening her face. "I know it's probably a little inappropriate with it being your anniversary today and all – happy anniversary, by the way – but we've got work and we're on a short vacation so I figured you guys should, you know, meet."

"That's great, baby, but don't worry, we'll all just have dinner here. Jaime is preparing a feast fit for royalty, and I'm not exaggerating," Stacy's mother declared.

"Okay, mom, we'll probably be there in about three hours. I've got to go, love you!"

The women said their good-byes and Stacy finally headed back out to the car. Randy was waiting inside for her with the car started and ready to go. The blonde sat in her seat and reclined it, allowing herself to drift off into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

The guilt was slowly building up, making a simple task like sleeping seem nearly impossible. The alternating movements of her eyes created black and white images, which seemed like blurs at first and nothing more. Slowly, the muddy spots morphed into people, the faces of which she recognized almost immediately. There were three individuals – two of them seemed to be fighting, maybe yelling. The third observed closely solely with their eyes and avoided drawing near. 

Stacy briskly opened her eyes as a slight jolt rushed through her body. The images she'd witnessed only seconds ago alarmed the blonde; chills traveled vigorously down her spine at the mere thought of them coming to reality.

Though here eyes were open, Stacy hadn't really taken the time to see what was in front of her. The scene began to sink in as soon as the fountain came into view. Flowing gracefully, the waters were unique in the neighborhood, surprisingly enough. The picturesque stone structure fit perfectly in the luscious lawn, behind which lay a great, white, two-story mansion that was absolutely breathtaking. Blossoming flowers and flawlessly trimmed bushes decorated the house's façade, creating an indescribable effect.

As Randy pulled up in the circle driveway, all he could seem to muster was, "Whoa." After letting it all register, he inquired, "You grew up here?"

Stacy glanced at him, then the house once again. Attempting to place herself in his shoes for the moment, she understood how it seemed a little too good to be true.

"Yeah, I somehow managed to survive," she affirmed. "Moved out the second I could, though; I have my own apartment about five, ten minutes from here," Stacy added as she got out of the car, still holding her gaze on the one place that held more childhood memories, both good and bad, than she could count.

"You mean to tell me that your life wasn't, like, just short of perfect?" the young man remarked. Randy was having difficulties believing what stood right in front of him.

Stacy turned and stared at her boyfriend, replying sarcastically, "You need your eyes checked. Does this look like perfect to you?" Leaning on the car, she spun around one last time and examined her home. "Uh, nevermind."

"That's what I thought." Randy muttered.

"Well, it might look perfect, but believe me, growing up with my parents under their rules was like hell sometimes. They look to money to solve all problems, and life doesn't work that way. They tried to push me into medical school and law school, and, God, I don't know what other schools. But, I didn't want any of that…"

"So, that explains why you only visit once a year, if that. That must have been really tough on you, baby," he took one glimpse at her, a look of empathetic appreciation.

"It's all good, no problem," she paused. "All right, let's go!"

Randy strolled around the car, stopping briefly beside Stacy to take her small, gentle hand in his.

* * *

**A/N:** Whoo! It's up! It's finally up! My apologies to all of you who've waited for this, and I'm not trying to make excuses, I swear, but school's taken up most of my time, and we started school about three weeks ago, so that would explain the late, late, late update. Once again, I'm really sorry about it, and of course, thank you to all of those who reviewed. Keep 'em comin'! 


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